Sewing-machine for hemming.



No. $64,153:. 'Patented 1an. l, |901. J. A. CAMERON.

SEWING MACHINE FOR HEMMING.

(Lpplcston led Oct. 6, 1899.)

W/TNESSES /NVENT/ M M a. Gamm,

No. 664,83I. Patented lan. I, 196|.

J. A. CAMERUN.

SEWING MACHINE FOR HEMMING.

(Application led Oct. 6, 1899.l

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JAMES A. CAMERON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SEWING-MACHINE FOR HMMING.

sPEcFIcAToN forming part of Letters Patent No. 664,831, dated Jamiary 1, 190i.

Application tiled UGlSODeI 6,1899. Serial No. 732,748. tNo modem To all wit/)7n it may 'cm/Locin:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. CAMERON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, (Brooklym) inthe county ofKings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing- Machines, of which the following is a specication.

The invention relates to improvements in sewing-machines; and it consists in the novel features and com biuations of parts hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

rIhe object of my invention is to produce an eflicientand commercially practicable machine for simultaneously sewing two parallel rows of stitches or the hems at the opposite edges of a piece of fabric. I have more especially designed the machine for use in the manufacture of hemstitched handkerchiefs, and in carrying on this manufacture in connection with the machine made the subject hereof, the length of linen leaving the bolt is fed to the machine and has its opposite longitudinal edges folded to form the hem and stitched, the operation continuing until the entire length of fabric has been thus treated.

A duplex sewing-machine intended for sewing on both edges of a strip of fabric has heretofore been produced, and hence it is not proposed in this application to broadly claim a duplex sewing-machine, but simply certain novel features and constructions embodied in such a machine, whereby the machine may be rendered commercially usefuland elhcient.

The duplex sewing-machines of the character heretofore known to me were seriously defective in at least two important particulars, the first being that one entire single machine or sewing mechanism and all its counected driving-gear had to be moved or adjusted toward or from the other sewing mechanism when adapting the machine for the varying widths of fabric, this adjustment being a delicate operation and requiring the services of a skilled mechanic, and the second defect in the said machines being that they were so geared that they of necessity were either both in motion or both idle at thev same time. In theory the said former machines were to sew two rows of stitches corresponding stitch for stitch throughout; but in practice no commercial machines can be built lo carry out such theory, and hence whenever the sewing mechanism at one edge of the fabric advanced its workahead of the sewing mechanism at the other edge of the fabric the entire machine had to be stopped, the advanced edge of the fabric withdrawn from its mechanism, and the entire machine then started and run until the other edge of the fabric had caught up with the said advanced edge, whereupon the machine had to be again stopped until said advanced edge had been restored to its mechanism, the machine thereafter being again set in motion and operated until the unevenness in the fabric again necessitated the stoppage of the machine.

It is one of the main purposes of my invention to remedy the two above-mentioned 0bjections to the duplex machines of the prior art, and the first of said objections l obviate entirely by providing suitable means capable of adjustment by the usual operative forcaring for the slack along the middle of a length of fabric of greater width than the distance between the two sewing mechanisms, thus dispensing with the former necessity of adjusting an entire sewing-machine head and its connected parts, and the second of said objections I overcome by providing two sets of certain clutch mechanism intermediate the main driving-shaft of the duplex machine and the driving-shafts of the separate sewing-machines, the parts of said clutches remaining separated from one another', and thus preventing a transmission 0f the power from said main driving-shaft except when brought together by the pressure of the feet of the operative on the foot-treadles, whose rods are utilized when pulled down to eect the engagement of the two parts of the clutches with one another, and thus secure the transmission of power from the said main drivingshaft to the sewing mechanism. The said clutches are independent of one another, and each is operable by an independent foottreadle, one foot-treadle and one clutch being provided for each sewing mechanism. By reason of the special power mechanism I provide the two sewing mechanisms may be operated simultaneously or either one separately, either one being capable of being IOO brought to a stop by the operative removing her foot from the appropriate foot-treadle, while the main driving-shaft continues in motion, as before. Thus when the work at one edge of the fabric has advanced ahead of the work at the opposite edge of said fabL ric the operative will simply stop the machine which has been running ahead and allow it to remain at rest without disturbing the fabric until the other machine has caught up with its work. The two individual machines embraced in the duplex machine are both driven from the one main shaft; but either may be conveniently stopped without interfering with the other or the saidinain shaft. The fabric for hemstitched handkerchiefs is usually formed into bolts, and the creases or folds present in said fabric due -to the bolting serve as guides to the operative in determining when `one edge of the fabric during the passage of the latter through my duplex machine has advanced ahead of the other edge thereof.

My invention will be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which i Figure l is a side elevation of a machine constructed in accordance with and embodying the invention, and Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of same on the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. l.

In the drawings, 10 denotes a substantial supporting-table mounted uponlegs or frames l1 and lirmlysupporting the sewing-machines ,12 12, which may be of any suitable character.

The machines l2 12 illustrated in the drawings are the well-known types of Wheeler & Wilson hemstitching sewing-machines, the said machines being arranged in aliueinent with and to face one another. The feeding mechanisms (not shown) of the sewing-machines 12 12 are arranged to feed in the same direction, and this result may be accomplished in a well-known manner by reversing the throw of the feed of one machine. The

. present invention is not of course limited to the employment of the Wheeler da Wilson hernstitching sewing-machines, and I referto this special type of machine because of the fact that the trade is thoroughly familiar with it and that it is especially adapted for the making of hemstitchedhandkerchiefs. Adjacent to the presser-foot of each of the heads 'or machines 12 12 will in use be placed a hemstitching attachment 13, of anyy suitable or known form or construction, adapted in the usual manner. to form the folds or hems at the edges of the fabric preparatory to the stitching of the same. I have not illustrated the hemstitching attachments 13 in detail, since the invention is not confined to any special form or construction of such attachment. Below the table 1U is mounted in suitable bearings the main driving-shaft 14, which receives its power from a suitable belt 15 and has mounted upon it the drive-wheels'l 17,

through the medium of which and suitable belts 18 19 motion is communicated from the shaft 14 to the mechanism by which power is imparted to the driving-shafts 2O 21 of the sewing-machine heads 12. The driving-shafts 2O and 21 are provided with belt or pulley wheels 22 to receive the belts 23, by which saidlwheels 22 are connected with the intermediate drive-wheels 24, mounted in suitable bearings 25 intermediate the supporting-table 10 and the main driving-shaft 14. Upon the axles 26 of the wheels 24 are'also mountedY i the pulley-wheels 27, which` receive the belts 18 19 and are by said belts directly connected with the main drive-wheels 16 17.A YThe pulley-wheels 27 are free upon the axles 26 and only communicate their motion toV theY wheels y24 when they are pressed against said wheels by the pressure of the feetof the operfor the inclined cams 30, which may be pulled downward by the foot-treadles and which when pulled downward will press against the studs 29 and move the wheels 27 intojeng'agement with'the wheels 24, with the result that so long as the pressure of thecams 30 remains on the studs 29 the wheels 27 will maintain' their contact with the wheels 24 and impart The wheels 27 are provided withY the projecting studs 29, 'which formcontacts IOO motion to said Wheels 24and through saidY Wheels and the belts 23 to theinechanisrn of the sewing machines or heads 12. The cams 30 are secured to or formed on the crank-arms 3l, which are connected at their outer ends with the usual pitman or treadle rods and at their other end are secured upon rockshafts 33, which constitute the axes upon which said crank-arms 3l mayY turn. The rock-shafts 33 are mounted in suitable bearing-sleeves 34, connected with the bearingframes 25, and have at their outerend a brake-V arin 35 and lip 36, the brake-arm 35. being adapted when the treadle-rods 32 are released to move upward to impinge the periphery of a plain .portion 37 of the pulley-wheels24 in order that upon the removal of the feetof the operative from the treadles the said brakearins 35 may aid in bringing the slewing mechanism to a stop. aprojecting portion 38 of each bearing-frame 25 is arranged a coiled spring 39, whose forceV is normally exerted to maintain the treadlerods 32 and cams 30 in their upward position,

thus normally leaving said cams 30 relievedYV Y from the studs 29 and permitting the pulleywheels 27 to rotate without imparting theirVY motion to the pulley-Wheels 24. When the foot-treadles 28 are depressedto pull downward on the rods 32 and cams 30, the force of the springs 29 is thereby overcome and the' cams 30 will move the pulleywheels 27 intoY engagement with the wheels 24, and thereby the motion of the main power-shaft 14 may be communicated to the sewing mechanisms. Upon the release of pressure from the foottreadles 28 the springs 39 will by pressing downward on the lips 36 elevate the rods 82 and cams 30 and at the same time-cause the brake-arms to operate against the pulleywheels 24 for the purpose of checking the latter.

lFrom what has been explained above it is to be understood that both sewing-machines 12 are simultaneously driven from the main power-shaft 14 through the medium of the transmitting mechanism intermediate said power-shaft 14 and the shafts 2O 21 of the sewingmachines 12, said sewing-machines being set in motion by the pressure of the feet of the operative upon bot-h of the treadles 28. The removal of pressure from one of the treadles 28 will result in one of the sewingmachines automatically coming to a stop, while the motion of the main driving-shaft 14 and the operation of the other sewing-machine will continue. When pressure is relieved from both of the treadles 28, both of the sewing-machines 12 will automatically come to a stop. Thus while both of the sewing-machines are operated from the one main driving-shaft 14 either of said machines may, should the occasion arise, be stopped without interfering with the continued operation of the other sewing-machine. This feature of the construction hereinbet'ore described is of great importance since it is practically impossible for t-he sewing mechanisms to be so finely made, adjusted, and maintained that both machines will while sewing a long length of fabric exactly and uniformly feed forward the edges of the fabric. The differing characteristics of the fabrics to be sewed and other circumstances render it substantially impossible for the two machines to maintain a uniform rate of feed, although bythe proper adjustment of the machines this result should be sought to be accomplished as far as possible. The power-transmitting mechanism hereinbefore described renders it entirely practicable to make use of the two sewingmachines 12 for the sewing of the opposite edges of the fabrics, since when one edge of the vfabric advances ahead of the other edge thereof one sewing-machine may be quickly and automatically stopped, while the other sewing-machine continues until it has caught up with its work, whereupon the operator by means of her foot will st-art the arrested machine in order that both machines may then continue their work until it is discovered that one of the machines is again in advance of the other machine. The length of fabric fed to the machines usually contains transverse creases or folds, due to the bolting of the fabric, and these creases or folds may be readily utilized as guides to the operative in determining when one edge of the fabric has advanced ahead of the other thereof.

1 have pointed out hereinbefore the advantages derivable from the employment of the power-transmitting mechanism of the character hereinbefore described over the prior art, disclosing a duplex machine in which both of the sewing mechanisms are driven from one driving-shaft, with no provision for the stopping of one of the machines while continuing the operation of the other machine. It is necessary also for greater efficiency and practicability to supply the duplex machine with means for caring for the slack along the middle of the length of fabric when the latter is greater in width than the distance between the two sewing mechanisms and also for properly feeding away the forward portion of the fabric without creating any undue amount of strain upon the saine, and to these ends I provide on the front of the table 10 the adjustable bracket 40 and upon the upper surfaces of said table and intermediate the machines 12 12 the adjustable frame 41, while in the rear of the machine I provide a roller or wheel 42, over the latter of which the fabric will pass on its way from the machine. The roller 42 is secured upon a shaft 43, and the latter is mounted in suitable bearings 44, provided in the upper ends of the rigid arms 45, which are secured at their lower ends to the legs or frames 11. Upon one end of the shaft 48 is mounted the belt-wheel46, which is connected by the belt 47 witha belt-wheel 48, mounted upon the main powershaft 14. The roller or wheel 42 receives its motion through the belt-wheels 46 48 and belt 47 from the main power-shaft 14, and when the shaft 14 is in motion the roller or wheel 42 will revolve without regard to the position of the foot-treadles 28 or their connections. lt is desired that the roller 42 shall revolve with a slow rate of speed, and hence the belt-wheel46 is of greater diameter than the belt-wheel 48. The roller 42 has a plain smooth surface and the fabric simply rests upon said roller, and therefore the roller 42 will not exert any undue pulling action on the fabric, but under its frictional contact with said fabric will gentlydraw the fabric rearward and permit it to descend beyond the influence of the machine. The roller 42 is illustrated in the drawings as being of some considerable length; but l desire it to be understood that the present invention is not limited to giving the roller 42 any special length, the essential consideration being that the roller shall engage the central longitudinal portions of the strip of fabric. Hence the length of the roller 42 may vary at will in accordance with the judgment of the manufacturer and the nature of the special fabric under treatment.

The bracket 4() is a bent wire held at its ends on screws 50, which pass through ears 51 of brackets 52, which are secured to the front edge of the table 10. The middle portion of the length of .fabric to be treated will be fed over the bracket 40, which will keep the fabric in a spread-out condition.

The frame 41 comprises a horizontal bar IOO IIO

53, having downwardly-turned ends 54 and mounted on hinged wire loops 55, which are secured to the table 10 by staples 56. The bar 53 will be raised or lowered in accordance with the amount of slack there maybe along the center of the fabric being treated, and the purpose of said bar 53 is totake up such slack, the amount of which will varyin accordance with the width of fabric fed to the sewingmachines 12 12.

The operation of the machine hereinbefore described will probably be sufficiently under- =stood from the foregoing explanation, and

hence a further detailed description of such operation is probably not necessary. It may be stated, however, that the main drivingshaft 14 is utilized for driving the shaft of the roller or wheel 42 and the driving-shafts 2O 21 of the sewing-machines 12 12, that by reason of the intermediate clutch mechanism connected with the foot-treadles 28 both of the machines 12 will remain idle until the `operative places her feet upon said treadles, and that either of said machines 12 12 may be temporarily stopped at any time by simply the removal of the foot of the operative from the appropriate treadle 28. Both of the machines may be stopped by the removal of the feet of the operative from both of the treadles 28. The fabric to be treated is fed over the frames 40 and 41 and is finally carried over the roller 42 to a point of final delivery. The frame 41 is exclusively used for taking up the slack in the middle portions of the fabric and may be raised or lowered at will. When there is no slack in the fabric, the frame 41 will be pushed rearward until it rests down upon the table 10, where it will be idle and out of the way. The frame 40 is also adjustable and it will be of benefit both when the frame 41 -is in and out of use, since it will engage the middle portions of the fabric and keep the same in a desirable spread condition and aid the operative in seeing t-hat the fabric is properly fed to the machine.

The clutch mechanism hereinbefore described (represented by the pulley-Wheels 24 27 and cams 30) is not per se claimed herein, since said features are not new with me and constitute a familiar form of clutch device which I have utilized in carrying my invention into effect. My invention is not limited, therefore, to the special construction of clutch device hereinbefore described.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a sewing-machine having the two sewing mechanisms independent of one another and feeding in the same direction, for sewing two parallel seams, one at each edge of a strip of fabric, the stationary work-table rigidly supporting said sewing mechanisms in line with and in position facing one another, the main driving-shaft 14, to which power is applied,and the driving-shafts 20, 21,0f the independent sewing mechanisms, combined with power-transmitting mechanism intermediate -said shaft 14 and said shafts 20, 21, for com;

municating motion from the shaft 14'to saidY shafts 20, 21, clutch mechanisms interposed in said transmitting mechanism and normally interrupting the transmission of power fromV the shaft 14 to said shafts 20, 21, and the foottreadles independent'of one another and each' i with and in position facing one another, theV main driving-shaft 14 having the belt-wheels 16, 17, and the shafts 20, 21, of the said sew-' ing mechanisms and having the belt-wheels 22, combined with the belt-wheels 24, 27, for

each sewing mechanism, the belts 23 connect-V ing the said wheels 22 with said wheels 24, the belts 18, 19, connecting said wheels 27V with said wheels 16, 17, the independent'foot-n Y treadles 28, and means connected with and operable from said foot-treadles for controlling the union of said wheels 27 and 24 with one another and thus completing the powertransmitting connection from the -said shaft 14 to the said shafts 20, 21; substantially as set forth. Y

3. In a sewing-machine having the twosewing mechanisms independent of one another and feeding in the same direction, forsewing two parallel seams, one at each edge of a strip of fabric, the stationary work-table rigidly supporting said sewing mechanisms in line with and in position facing one another, the

main driving-shaft 14 having the belt-wheelsV 16, 17, and the shafts 20, 21, of the said sewing mechanisms and having the belt-wheels VLIQ 22, combined with the belt-wheels 24, 27, forn Y Y each sewing mechanism, the belts 23 connecting the said wheels 22 with said wheels 24,the belts 18, 19, connecting said wheels 27 with saidwheels 16,17, the independent foot-treadles 28, and means connected with said foot-treadles for forcing said Wheels 27,

24, into union with one another so that theV motion of the wheels 27 may be imparted Vto Y l.

the wheels 24, the said wheels 27, 24, being normally disconnected from one another and .Y incapable of communicating motion to one another; substantially as set forthu Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 5th day ofY Y October, A. D. 1899. Y

' JAMES A. CAMERON. Y

Witnesses:

GHAS. C. GILL, GUNDER. GUNDERSON. 

